Medical corps officers are typically physicians with commissioned officer status. Like all military personnel, they earn basic pay according to rank and years of service. They may also earn a variety of allowances, special pay and bonuses. Additional pay benefits may be higher for physicians, as the military boosts their salaries to reduce the gap between basic pay scales and the money they might earn in civilian medicine.

Basic Pay for Medical Corps Officers

The basic pay scale for military personnel is the same for all services. Officer pay grades start at the most junior rank of O-1 and go up to O-10. According to the Defense Finance and Accounting Service's 2014 military pay table, an officer on the O-1 grade earns monthly basic pay of $2,905.20 with less than two years of service. Pay for this grade rises to a maximum of $3,655.50 per month with three-plus years of experience. Officers may join the medical corps at a higher grade, depending on their background, skills and experience. For example, physicians who move into active service after completing medical school training at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences automatically start on the O-3 grade. Monthly basic pay at this level starts at $3,873.90 and rises to $6,302.40 with over 14 years of experience.

Special Pay for Medical Corps Officers

In 2014, variable special pay for medical officers can add from $100 to $1,000 in monthly pay, depending on the physician's rank and years of service. Board-certified physicians may qualify for special board certification pay of between $208.33 and $500 per month. Physicians specializing in specific medical fields may also receive incentive special pay. For example, a pediatrician may earn an additional $20,000 per year and a cardiologist an extra $36,000, according to the Defense Finance and Accounting Service.

Bonuses for Medical Corps Officers

Physicians may receive initial sign-on bonuses, depending on their skills and experience. Over time, some may also receive retention bonuses. The military must ensure that it has enough medical personnel to meet its health care needs. If there is a need to actively retain physicians, some officers may earn a bonus of up to $75,000 per year for four years, as of 2014. Not all officers in the medical corps receive this bonus, as it is discretionary and depends on staffing needs.

General Special Pay and Allowances

Officers in the medical corps are eligible for regular military special pay and allowances as well as professional ones. For example, if physicians deploy in a situation where they cannot take their families with them, they may earn a family separation allowance. This is set at $250 per month for 2014. The military covers housing and subsistence costs for officers who live on their bases. In other circumstances, it pays housing and subsistence allowances. For example, physicians living off-base may earn from $693.90 to $1,913.70 per month in housing allowance, depending on variables such as rank and family status. The basic monthly subsistence allowance for officers is $246.24.

About the Author

Carol Finch has been writing technology, careers, business and finance articles since 2000, tapping into her experience in sales, marketing and technology consulting. She has a bachelor's degree in Modern Languages, a Chartered Institute of Marketing.certificate and unofficial tech and gaming geek status with her long-suffering friends and family.